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The Power of Social Media Today

Social Media is definitely one of the most driving factors in today’s society. It has clearly played a very big part in how the youth and the people of this day think and react too many things. Social Media has evolved from a mere platform for disseminating information into a living entity that can shift how the social paradigm works.

Many may think that social media is the current ones that have come about in the past decade, but social media has been there since the early nineties with emailing list, chat rooms and peer to peer sharing methods. The internet has always been a social form of media; interconnecting different computers in vast space. In the beginning, the social side of the internet was emailing people for mainly business and there was the occasional MIRC and Yahoo Messenger. Back in those days it did play a part in the society but not as much as it does today.

Social Media boomed during the early 2000 when My Space and Multiply became popular. In the other side of the world, in Asia, there was Friendster. Many young people signed up for it and instantly became hooked. It became the “it” thing. But soon, Facebook was born. It has drowned out its competition My Space, Friendster and Multiply in only two years of its birth. At the same time Twitter was also becoming popular, especially among celebrities. For a while, there was a battle between these two but in the end, the dust settled and both of them are still alive today. Soon after others were born. There is Instagram for those who love pictures, YouTube which for pictures, blogs, Tumblr and many more.

Social Media and Socialization

In today’s society, social media holds a big chunk in socialization. It plays a vital role in the way we interact with others around us. Celebrities have used it to connect better with their fans and be more personable. Most young people own an SNS account so that they can keep updated with the happenings in the life of others. Many people become micro celebrities; they showcase their lives for others to see and others keep following and viewing it.

The word “selfies” was born. Many became obsessed on how the camera would represent them on these platforms. Many people want to project a happy and perfect life into the world of SNS. In many events, people take so many pictures that they sometimes forget the essence of the said event because they are having that social media moment.

Cyber bullying has become an issue even in schools. Many children who would normally find their homes a safe haven would experience taunting and bullying even at home through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or others. On the other hand, sharing posts that enlighten others towards awareness became easier. If you have an advocacy, you can easily post about it, ask your friends to repost it and make it viral. In this way you can shape the mind of many in a very easy way.

Social Media has also been the place where many love stories have been born or destroyed. Recently, Ashley Madison, an affair site has been hacked and caused many to lose face or even lose their marriages. Dating and sexual meet-ups has become much easier through Tinder, Grindr and many others. You can easily locate someone who is right in your vicinity who may be interested in casual sex or real time dating. This has removed the heavy strain for some people although it may have affected past morals and values. On the positive side of it, attracting someone with your wit and intellect has become more accessible.

Social Media and Economics

Social Media has clearly a big impact on economics and business. It has shaped the way advertising works. Before most advertisements were only shown on TV but now since more and more people use mobile devices and often check into their social media apps often, ads are now placed using this platform. Many businesses use social media pages such as on Facebook and Instagram as well as Twitter accounts in order to create promotions and allow people to see their products. In a way this is a cheaper form of advertising. Many who were not able to reach people due to lack of funds are now able to utilize this tool.

The world has also become much smaller with the advent of Skype. Many businesses are now able to do video conferencing. Some even use this platform in order to administer their business such as online schools. Learning about news regarding the stock market is also available in news forums and websites. Aside from that, this social media companies are earning millions of dollars and creating a mode of life that is now indispensable.

Social Media and Values

The birth of social media has clearly stirred the values of the youth today. It has also opened the eyes of the older generation. Many people are becoming more and more open minded because of the intercultural exchange that is going on in cyberspace. On the other hand, materialism and narcissism is on the rise. Many people are working too hard to create an image that is not truly themselves. They buy things so that they can show it off and take pictures of it and post it on FB, Instagram or Twitter. Many young girls are becoming too blatant in showing off their sexuality online. On the other hand, actual and face to face communication is diminishing. There are some social experiments where in customers in a restaurant are made to deposit their phones and the one is touches his mobile device first pays. Here many are seen as eager to use their mobile devices rather than communicate with the people they are dining with.

Social media has clearly a huge impact in our society. It is force to reckon with. It can change the course of how history works and even change the world itself. It is ever evolving. In this day and age, it is the responsibility of adults to lead their children into the proper usage of this media. On the other hand, we also need to remember that modestly and simplicity is still very important.